The Miami Heat are in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. That much is obvious. But recent rumors have also indicated their potential interest in Trae Young. And now, Young is reportedly set to decline his player option with the Washington Wizards. However, Young should be more than a theoretical backup plan for Antetokounmpo.
In fact, I think the Heat should only sign Young if they do trade for Antetokounmpo. Otherwise, they should target a different star altogether. A core of Young, Antetokounmpo, and Bam Adebayo is interesting. But Young, on his own, doesn’t seem like a great fit for the Heat right now.
He should be a plan in a post-Antetokounmpo world, not a non-Antetokounmpo world.
Trae Young is more than a Giannis trade backup plan
Right now – as has been made obvious in recent weeks – the Heat are fully locked in on Giannis. Nothing is going to happen before the Giannis trade sweepstakes mercifully wraps up.
It seems like things are down to the Heat and the Boston Celtics when it comes to Giannis. Either the Milwaukee Bucks take Jaylen Brown or the package the Heat are willing to provide.
The package would likely consist of Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and future draft capital. From there, the Heat would get Giannis and build things out around him.
In that scenario, the Heat could be on the hunt for a new lead guard. They would still have Donovan Mitchell, but Young would obviously be a huge upgrade.
Plus, having Antetokounmpo and Adebayo in the frontcourt would give the Heat an elite defensive backbone, which could help protect them from the defensive liabilities that come with adding a guy like Young.
The Heat would have to find the right pieces to put around those three guys, but Young could actually make some sense as the lead ball-handler on a team with Giannis and Bam.
Without a Giannis trade, a Young addition could still make some sense, providing the Heat with a full-time point guard to help create more easy looks for Adebayo. But he’s more than a backup option.a
Young feels like the type of guy who would fit best as a second or third scoring option on a great team, but a top playmaking option. With Giannis and Bam, he could do that.
He shouldn’t be a backup. He should be a target for the Heat if they do manage to trade for Giannis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google